Rafila: Human error and not building state is what often triggers tragedies in hospitals

Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila pleaded, on Thursday, for the observance of the procedures and the regulation of the operation of each hospital, so as to avoid the occurrence of some incidents, because, often, "human error and not the state of the building" is what triggers tragedies in hospitals, agerpres reports.

Rafila visited Pavilion V of the "Matei Bals" National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INBI), where, on January 29, 2021, a fire broke out.

According to the minister, in the hospitals in Romania with outdated infrastructure, the intensive care units and the oxygen treatment units must be rehabilitated, so that the equipment works perfectly.

"We have to understand that we have an old hospital infrastructure. That is the reality in Romania. There were voices saying that we have to close 300 hospitals in Romania. This is not possible, if we are realistic, because people need access to health services. The development of hospital infrastructure means that there is a project, at least in the medium term, that will allow the rehabilitation of buildings, the development of new hospital units. There are various owners of buildings - the Ministry of Health and, especially, the local authorities. People must understand, especially the managers of these hospitals, that we must reduce the risk," added Rafila.

The manager of "Matei Bals" INBI, Catalin Apostolescu, pointed out that, after the fire of January 29, 2021, oxygen detectors were purchased in the hospital he runs and the working procedures were modified.

Apostolescu announced that Pavilion V of the "Matei Bals" National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INBI) will be returned to the medical circuit starting in January, after the completion of the rehabilitation works of the building.